The Sokol suit and the 'seal that keeps you alive'

2012-12-14 - CSA Astronaut Chris Hadfield, while training in Star City Russia, gives us an introduction to the Sokol ("Falcon") suit. This pressurized outfit is worn inside the Soyuz spacecraft during travel to and from the International Space Station (ISS). Hadfield will be launching on board the Soyuz December 19, 2012 to become Canada's first Commander of the ISS.

Credits: Canadian Space Agency and National Film Board

Useful link:

[SkylerKingTW]

That's a bit unexpected. The way you "seal" that suit, by implementing multiple folds that are literally tied off afterwords, is the exact same way they teach us to seal our waterproof bags in the US Army. Same fold pattern, same tie off. I always wondered "Just how effective can this really be at keeping water out?". Well, now I have a lot more faith in it, lol. 

[missJohnWick]

Thank you for remembering the men who were on the 1971 Soyuz 11

[retzrassputin]

I wish they would have shown the full process of suiting up!

[MrBrennanMatt]

his face looks so skinny compared to when he's on the ISS

[LeonardoValle]

It was introduced in 1973. No astronaut has been killed in the Russian space program since then.

[Kamradec]

It is made so you can jump into this suit very fast in case of an emergency. Regular EVA suit requires at least half a hour and help of another man to put on properly.

[skipstah]

remember, the air pressure is from the inside of the suit. Bound up right, that hole would be as strong or stronger than the seams in the rest of the suit.. certainly not a weak link.

[amiralavi]

I really love the way Chris explains everything briefly and clearly.

[flick.]

I don't even know how tying a "bag" can stay you alive THAT'S AMAZING

[PointyTailofSatan]

The US suits simply use O-ring based locking rings, like that used for something as simple as waterproof flashlights. Not particularly hard to make. I would think the Russian system depends on suit overpressure to ensure nothing enters the suit, and that a small amount of outbound leakage is probably expected.

[TheMinecraftinvader]

in space low gravity causes liquids to rush to the head and makes your head swell causing less ''wrinkles'', also just body lines or wrinkles would virtually disappear because in space gravity does not affect your spine so it makes you taller :D

[Spitfire]

This was before he went up in to space... You always look younger when you return...

[bob]

This is correct. Your heart no longer has to fight gravity to pump blood into your head and brain, which cause massive headaches. Your spine is also no longer compressed by gravity so you can get pretty bad back pains too. I think the record for growth in space from your spine stretching out was about 2 inches.

[bergonius]

Lower tech level - less things to break, less possibility to break, and easier to repair if it's happens. I wouldn't fold my life to mass of hi-tech electronics where i need just protection from low pressure. Simpler thing - less likely it will set me up some point.

[madcowzrchewy]

Because this is after he's gotten back to earth, which is more recent. The lighting is also different, which makes his hair look less grey

[therandomytchannel]

Sokol suits for the TMA version, the TMA - M and the current MS Soyuz

[aragiss]

He looks older on earth because his bodily fluids are pulled down by gravity so his face has less liquids in it, making it look more gaunt and pale. In space, the bodily fluids are distributed evenly through his body so he has a pinker, juicier face in zero-gravity. That's my theory anyways.

[PointyTailofSatan]

There are still O-ring type seals for the gloves and helmet.

[richie]

A lot of thinking goes on space suits and the security of astronaouts a lot of trial an error must be done a really working suit on for any emergency. Picture this, a ziplock is made of plastic, what if there's a lot of heat in the capsule and the plastic melts, that cord may be able to withstand more heat than plastic and it is easier to manipulate. Fancy is not allways functional in some scenarios.

[thebruffy]

What's it's operating pressure?